


Will You Marry Me? (5+1)

by East02End



Category: EastEnders
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:08:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27078580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/East02End/pseuds/East02End
Summary: I’ve never written a 5+1 before, so this probably isn’t one of my best fics. Let me know what you think otherwise!Sorry, I’ve not been posting as I used to regularly, I’ve been so busy! Trying to find the time to write in between my new job and acting/drama school! (A new epiphany during these lockdowns!)  😁Anyway, please let me know if this was alright? :)
Relationships: Ben Mitchell / Callum Highway
Comments: 5
Kudos: 48





	Will You Marry Me? (5+1)

ONE) Callum looked up from his plate to take in the sight of Ben clearly enjoying his own meal, the man digging into it with child-like enthusiast. 

His heart clenched for a beat when he thought about how he came very close to never share a meal with his lover, how he very nearly lost Ben forever, that time in the Vic, when he got shot.l and maybe all the other times, he’d been out in danger. 

To be honest, Callum sometimes couldn’t believe how lucky he was that Ben did not die from his encounter with Hunter. 

Callum had never been one to have much good luck, but here they both were. Together. 

Ben looked up, noticing Callum smiling at him. “What?” He grinned. 

Callum shook his head, his smile widening. 

“Nothing. I love you, that’s all.”

“Love you.” Ben smiled, immediately returning to his food. 

It’s hard to think he nearly lost the love of his life and he never got to show to him how much he truly means to him. 

They had been together for a while now, shared a house for much of it, and between him, Ben and Lola, raised Lexi into a young woman. But he felt like something was still missing.

He intended to change the situation as soon as possible, right now even, his hand brushing against the little box in his inside his pocket. 

Callum was about to get up from his chair so he can kneel in front of the other man, when there’s a gasp two tables down and when he turns to look, he sees he’s not the only one who thought tonight would be perfect to ask the hand of his better half in marriage.

He wants to be angry, because he simply cannot bring himself to go through with it now that someone has stole his thunder, but the couple seemed so happy and delighted that he signalled the waiter and ordered another bottle of champagne for them both instead.

*  
TWO) They’re enjoying one rare night alone in two weeks later when Callum finally worked up the nerve to try and propose again.

Not that he really had the occasion before tonight, what with Jay sending Ben out to deal with a particularly troublesome car dealer refusing to lower prices for the car lot. 

He had been a bit worried that something would go wrong and he would have missed his chance forever, so he made sure it was just the two of them tonight for a movie night. 

“Are you still watching?” Ben turned his head from the Tv, looking up at Callum, his head resting in Callum’s lap. 

“You know I don’t mind looking for something else if you find it boring.” Ben added. 

“Yeah, sorry, miles away.” Callum smiled at him, absentmindedly playing with Ben’s hair. 

“You sure your okay?” Ben is looking at him with a small frown. “You’ve been quiet all evening.” Ben squeezed Callum’s other hand in his own, letting him know that he was always here for him. 

He opens his mouth, to ask what he’d been wanting to all day, but before any words can get out, their front door opens suddenly and Lexi is calling out a greeting.

“Dads! I’m back!” 

Ben pressed a kiss to Callum’s lips and was already up from his lap, when Lexi came barrelling into the room jumping on them both. 

Ben was still looking worriedly at Callum. 

“It’ll keep.” Callum smiled. 

“Later.” Ben insisted, before turning his attention to Lexi. “Thought you were having a sleepover with one of your friends?”

“They were ill.” Lexi huffed, immediately turning into a grin. “Mummy dropped me off here cos I wanted to stay with you two!”

It will have to wait for another day.

*  
THREE) Another day is the very next day.

They went shopping and stopped at a small café, electing to sit on the terrace to enjoy a rare sunny day.

Everything seemed just perfect, even the man tripping besides their table, Callum helped get back on his feet, was so polite, apologising, whilst Ben was trying not to laugh. He’d already dismissed the incident.

That is until he reached inside his pocket to get out the small box and realised that he’d been pickpocketed by the prick and he sees red.

He makes his excuses to Ben, shouting “Wallet!”, before he started running in the direction the man left. 

*  
FOUR) It’s a week later and they’re both still on downtime and they take advantage of their free time to take a walk in the park, hand in hand. 

It’s a habit they got into when Lexi always insisted going on the swings. 

They both went together alone sometimes too. A habit Callum doesn’t think they’ll ever get tired of.

They sat down on an empty bench, using the cool Winter wind as an excuse to press their sides closer together than what is truly appropriate.

Ben has his head resting against his shoulder, as Callum captures Bens face in his hands pressing a long hard kiss to his lips. 

“What was that for?” Ben grinned. 

“Just cos.” Callum shrugged, smiling at Ben. 

Callum opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Ben pressing their mouths back together, his hand drifting to the side of Callum’s face where it always seemed to find itself. 

Callum made a half-hearted protest, but made no move to get away.

“Ben…” Callum started when he finally stopped with his endless kisses. 

Ben hums lightly to indicate he has his attention, but carries on his mission of exploring Callum’s mouth. 

Callum thought he really ought to have his eyes on him for the question he was about to ask. 

“Ben, two minutes, I promise. Look at me please?”

There’s an unhappy groan before Ben leaned back, both looking right at each other. 

“I wanna ask you something.” Callum smiled.

“Oo, gone on then. Is it something rude again?” Ben winked. 

“Oi! We are in a public place you know?!” Callum exclaimed. 

Ben laughed, grinning at Callum. “Didn’t stop you before...”

“Stop it!” Callum chuckled. “This is important!”

“Okay, okay!” 

Ben settled back down, waiting for Callum to say what he needed, before his eyes focus on something beyond Callum’s shoulder. 

“Is that Lexi??”

Callum turned round watching as Lexi came running towards them. 

“Thought she was at school?” Callum frowned. 

“That’s the idea...” 

Lexi jumped onto Ben’s knee, grinning at him. 

“Miss me?!” She grinned. Looking between Ben and Callum. 

Lola came running after her, trying to catch her breath. 

“Course we did princess.” Ben smiled, stroking her hair. 

“She swore to me she wasn’t feeling well this morning!” Lola frowned. 

“Well I heard Callum asking Daddy if he wanted to go the park? I wanted to come!” She grinned. 

Lola rolled her eyes, Ben chuckling to himself. 

“Sure one day can’t hurt.” Ben smiled. 

Callum smiled at Lexi, not minding that she had managed to scupper his plans twice in a row now. 

*  
FIVE) Later the same day, they’re back at home after escorting an “ill” Lexi back home after they’d been to the park together. 

She’d been moaning she didn’t feel very well again, Lola insisting it was because she didn’t want to back to school in the afternoon. 

He looked at Ben, who’s been watching him cook, as he turned and took Ben’s hand between his, ready to get on one knee right there in their kitchen, when the familiar ping of Ben’s ringtone fills the room. 

“Hold that thought.” Ben smiled answering it. 

“Lola?” He mouthed to Callum as he listened to her speak. 

“It was not my fault!” Ben cried. “It was one hot chocolate!”

Callum smiled at Ben, looking guilty even now. “We’ll be right over.” He replied as he put the phone down. 

“I’m really sorry, but we’re gonna have to do this special meal tomorrow, Lexi’s feeling bad. She wants us two. That’s your special stories she loves you know.” Ben smiled. 

Callum nodded immediately switching off the stove. 

“Course. It was all those sweets you gave her!”

“Argh, come on! Not you too! It was like one or two!”

“More like a hundred!” Callum chuckled, following Ben out the front door. 

Make that a hat trick, Lexi had managed to derail them. 

*

\+ ONE) “Cal, are you okay?” Ben sighed watching Callum pushing his food round his plate. 

Callum looked up, smiling at Ben. 

“Yeah course, why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s just… You seem very frustrated lately, did anything happen?”

“It’s nothing.” Callum smiled. 

“You’ve been weird for weeks...”

“It’s alright.” Callum played down. He’d been wanting to ask Ben to marry him for weeks, but now wasn’t the right time. He just wanted it to be special. Perfect for them. 

“Oh… Okay…” Ben sighed, not wanting to push Callum. 

Callum sighed looking at Ben. He just knows that Ben is currently thinking some rubbish about how he’s probably the problem. The man might be one of the most confident bastards walking the surface of the earth, but for some reason, when it comes to their relationship, Ben is the most insecure of them all.

“Seriously Ben, it’s nothing you need to worry about. It’s just not the best setting right now, okay?” 

It’s only when he gets a look at Ben’s crestfallen and resigned expression that he realised how what he said can be understood in his frame of mind. 

“Is me isn’t isn’t?!” He cried. 

“Ben-“ 

He tried stopping Ben, so that he can explain himself properly, but Ben stood up, walking towards the stairs. 

Callum’s not sure what happened next, only that when he next come to himself, he’s cornered Ben against a wall, at the top of the stairs and they’re both kissing the life out of each other. 

“I’m frustrated because I’ve been trying to ask you to marry me for a fucking month already but the whole world seems against it!” 

Ben eyes shot up from Callum’s lips to his eyes. 

“What??” 

Callum smiled at the small crack in Ben’s voice. 

“I want you to marry me Ben.” Callum grinned. 

“Oh…” His mouth opened and closed a few times, trying o find words, a blush slowly spreading on his cheeks. “Well you could have said earlier... I thought...”

Callum smiled at Ben, looking embarrassed. 

“Told you it wasn’t you.”

Ben pressed his mouth against Callum’s, both of them only pulling apart when they could barely breathe anymore. 

“Well?” Callum repeated, slightly breathless. 

Ben grinned at Callum, still pressed against the wall. 

“Course I will, you muppet!”

Callum grinned at Ben scooping him up, Ben immediately wrapping his legs around Callum’s waist, both unable to keep their mouths away from each other as Callum walked them into the bedroom. 

“Woah, woah!” Ben pulled away, smiling at Callum. “Where’s my ring?” Pressing another light kiss to Callum’s lips. 

“In my pocket.” Ben reached round to his back pocket, squeaking when Callum dropped Ben onto the bed instead. 

“You gotta get it from me first.” Callum winked, kneeling on the edge of the bed, kissing Ben. 

He didn’t need fancy restaurants or ‘special moments’ for it to be perfect. 

All they need was each other, where ever and whenever it was.


End file.
